Kurita loses appeal of Tennessee primary ouster

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Former state Sen. Rosalind Kurita has lost a federal appeal of her ouster as the Democratic nominee in her 2008 bid for re-election to the Tennessee General Assembly.

The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday upheld a federal judge's refusal to reinstate Kurita to the ballot after Democratic officials declared her 19-vote primary win as "incurably uncertain."

The legal team for Kurita's primary opponent and successor, Tim Barnes, argued that there had been heavy Republican crossover voting and alleged that poll workers directed his supporters to vote in the wrong primary.

Democrats were angry with Kurita after casting a key vote in favor of Sen. Ron Ramsey in the Republican's 2007 election as Senate speaker.

Kurita is now a health policy adviser in Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's administration.

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